a commercial establishment that provides lodging, food, etc., for the public, especially travelers; small hotel.
a tavern.
(initial capital letter)
any of several buildings in London formerly used as places of residence for students, especially law students.
a legal society occupying such a building.
a pub or small hotel providing food and accommodation
(formerly, in England) a college or hall of residence for students, esp of law, now only in the names of such institutions as the Inns of Court
See hotel.
First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English in(n) “house”; akin to Old Norse inni (adverb) “within, in the house”
An inn is a place to stay while you're on vacation or on the road. Inns are usually smaller and more charming than hotels, but they serve the same purpose: to give you a place to rest your weary head as you travel. Some inns are more charming versions of hotels, while others use the word inn simply to make them sound more appealing than a motel. The original meaning of inn was "lodging and food for travelers," although today some inns don't have a restaurant or bar attached. If you own or manage an inn, you're an "innkeeper." Inn comes from the Old English inne, "inside or within."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Individual donations to those newsrooms — which INN has certified as independent and nonpartisan — are being matched and, in some cases, multiplied through the end of the year.
From Washington Post • Dec. 17, 2021
The institute has seen how many of them are covering similar issues, and thought that by working together, they could produce more powerful, impactful journalism, said Sue Cross, INN executive director and CEO.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 18, 2021
None of the INN Between’s residents have contracted the virus, to the relief of its directors, who have watched outbreaks devastate many care facilities.
From Washington Times • Jan. 11, 2021
Here at the INN we exclusively utilize the lovely lemon for our unique salad dressing!
From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2018
"THE INN ALBUM" is a tragedy in eight parts or scenes: the dialogue interspersed with description; and carried on by four persons not named.
From A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) by Orr, Sutherland, Mrs.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
